Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-24

The expedition, in the daring of it's inception, had the wildness of 8 romance; while in the gigantic and overwhelming results it sought and was likely co obtain it was absolutely sublime.- JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL HoLT's OFFICIAL RE PORT.
 It was all the deepest laid scheme and on the grandest scale, that ever emanated from the brains of any number of Yankees combined THE SOUTHERN CoNTEpERACY (ATLANTA, GA.), April 15, 1862.
 Despite it's tragic termination, it shows what handful of brave men could undertake in Amer ica.-CoMTE DE PARIS HISTORY OF THE CIvn. WAR IN AMERICA, vol 2, p. 187.
 The first Sunday of our stay in Wash ington we gladly accepted the invitation of our kind hostess to accompany her to the Baptist church, of which she was member. This led to great trial on my part. The preacher seeing five men in sol dier uniform in her pew-Mason, who was sick, remained at home-came down and spoke to her. A few words were eX- changed, and then he turned to us and said: Cant you tell us little about your strange deliverance? will make the other services very short" The faces of all our party turned toward me, and the minister, taking the hint, repeated his question to me individually. Something like this was just what had feared when
 
 lanta prison. I wished to refuse, but in the freshness of deliverance such refusal would have seemed little less than a crime. The minister was better tor worse) than his word, for he did not preach at all, but on finishing the opening services spoke q few words about the great suffer- ings and lessons of the war, and the hard ships and temptations of the army; then added that there were some men present that morning whose experiences were marvellous beyond the common lot of men, and one of them had consented to give some account of them.
 I rose at the call and scarcely could have felt worse for moment if in Swim's prison. But the people were so kind and attentive that embarrassment vanished. passed very lightly over the military part of the enterprise, and spoke especially of Gods goodness in delivering us. When told of the sudden death of our comrades in Atlanta, and of their regrets for not being better prepared for death, there was weeping over all the church. At the close of the meeting kindly greetings and prof fers of service were showered upon us.
 We lodged in the tent provided by this lady during the whole of the ten days of our stay in Washington. Many other per sons wished to take us as guests, but she 
 wished to leave her care. Mason, being sick, was taken into the house and nursed most carefully.
 On our first morning in Washington had written a note to Secretary Stanton giving notice of our arrival and of my be- lief that the government, if not already fully informed, ought to know OUT story. I supposed this would produce more speedy results than to let the matter pass through the ordinary channels, and was not disap- pointed. He gave written orders to Hon. Joseph Holt, judge advocate general, to investigate the whole matter, provide for bring us to him. Hon. J. c. Wetmore, of the Ohio military agency, attended to pro- curing us the legal allowance for commu- tation of rations during the time of inn prisonment, so that we were soon in funds. Regular pay with arrearages could not be given till we returned to our regiments.
 Our first visit to Judge Holt was a merely friendly one, and the time was spent in familiar conversation. Maj. Gen. Hitchcock, commander of the post at Washington, was also present.
 The next day we went again, being taken each time in a government carriage, and found Justice Callan, of Washington, ready to administer an oath, with 8 pho
 
 given. was examined first, telling the whole story, and then each one followed, | confirming what was said, and adding omitted particulars. The evidence that we were telling a true story was fal stronger than we knew. The story o1 Wood and Wilson had been on file ill the department since the preceding November It was far less full than ours, but con frmed it in every essential particular. Indeed, the certainty that we were giving simple, plain and uncolored narrative was so complete that no one save Gen Buell. ever called any part of it in question and he only because of ignorantly con founding the first and second expeditions The testimony thus taken was pub | ished in the next issue of The Army an6 Navy Gazette, as also in the Washington papers of April 4, and copied over the country. The examination before Judge Holt was on the 24th of March, and his report to the secretary of war based upor 1 them was dated the 27th.
 l CHAPTER XVIII.
 INTERVIEW WITH SECRETARY OF WAL